Hurricane safety, first aid tips for smartphones

The American Red Cross has two free phone apps for hurricanes and first aid that work on iPhones and Androids that you hopefully won't have to use, but may come in handy.

The hurricane app can send you NOAA alerts about storms approaching your area, provides storm histories, has an ability to notify friends that you're OK even during a power outage and other neat features like a flashlight, strobe and alarm. It also has checklists to help you prepare for approaching storms.

For first aid tips, the Red Cross app gives instructions for situations ranging from anaphylactic shock to heart attacks as well as emergencies like earthquakes and floods and tornadoes. It also touches on hurricanes, but the app dedicated to hurricanes has more detail.

Both apps also give you the ability to test your newfound knowledge with quizes (no butter or ice on burns!).